The loss of an eye causes depth perception problems for awhile. Fortunately, depth perception
cues are learned in many ways, including the visual.
Your body assists you greatly in being
able to judge distances. Monocular vision (seeing with one eye) causes more difficulty in
judging the distance of objects that are nearby (15 feet or less) than those farther away.
You will probably perceive that you are closer to or farther away from an object than you
actually are. Consequently, you will have to adjust accordingly. For instance, when you are
walking, a curb may appear closer than it actually is, so make sure you have a firm footing
before transferring your weight from one foot to another.
The greatest frustration typically
occurs in close-up work, such as threading a needle or pouring a cup of coffee. However, you can
compensate by having a good source of light behind a needle and approaching it sideways rather than straight on.
Needle threading devices are available at notion counters and in fabric stores, which can
simplify this task. When pouring coffee or other liquids, touch the container against the rim of the
glass or cup first and then pour.
Depth perception problems also occur because everyone is either right-eye or left-eye dominant
and if you lose the dominant eye, your compensation time may be somewhat longer than if you lose
the less dominant eye.
However, there are many techniques you can learn to help you judge
distances accurately and after awhile, you will find that using such "tricks" are almost
automatic and unconscious.
If your remaining eye has good vision, you will
still be eligible for a driver's license but you may have to take the driving
portion of the test more frequently than before. When you drive, depth
perception is particularly important, so be careful to approach the back of
other vehicles cautiously and never tailgate!
Since there is some loss of peripheral vision on the
blind side, you should turn your entire head in the direction of gaze to compensate.
The loss of an eye is a traumatic event, but with patience and perseverance,
you will be able to perform skillfully almost any function with one eye that
you were able to do with two. A very good book worth reading is "A
Singular View" which can be ordered on line from the publisher.
Link to A
Singular View
